


for reasons wretched and divine

by coldwinterrose



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Character Death Fix, F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, M/M, Multi, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Polyamory, Resurrection, Reunions, of a sort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 12:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18660523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldwinterrose/pseuds/coldwinterrose
Summary: Steve saved the Soul Stone for last, on a hope Bruce is wrong and it's not as hopeless as it seemed.





	for reasons wretched and divine

**Author's Note:**

> Steve/Bucky/Nat is a ship I've had for a while. I've always wanted to write for it, but I've never found an idea that I liked enough. Until now, at least.
> 
> So, here's my fix it for not only That Scene, but for Natasha’s death, which broke my damn heart. Plus, honestly, we were robbed of the confrontation between Red Skull and Steve, and I'm lowkey annoyed about that.

He’d saved the Soul Stone for last. 

The plan had been to return the stones going from farthest back in time to closest. He knew, if he came too close to the 1940s without anything to pull him away, he’d be tempted to stay. To try to fix everything that had gone wrong, to save Bucky, to be with him and Peggy. But, that was not his life, and as much as it hurt to admit that, he knew that the Bucky of his time would still suffer. 

Better to avoid that temptation. He was strong, but he wasn’t sure he could be _that_ strong.

Giving up Mjolnir had been difficult as well, but if Clint was correct, he wouldn’t need it here. There was a guardian, but given Steve was just here to _return_ the stone, there shouldn’t be an issue.

But, if he was lucky, he wouldn’t be coming away empty handed.

Still, given Steve’s track record, with his luck they would take offense for trying to attempt what he was about to. 

He arrived on Vormir, which was as gloomy and ominous as he been told, and glanced around to get his bearings when he heard a chillingly familiar voice behind him.

“Steven, son of Sarah. It has been a long time. The years have been kind to you.”

He turned, _really_ wishing he’d waited to return that hammer. The face of his nightmares, the reason his loved ones had suffered was staring back at him, as if time had been as frozen for him as it had been for Steve. 

“You. How? You died, I saw you.”

“What you saw was the Tesseract rejecting me. Sending me here as a form of punishment and penance, for daring to compare myself to the gods. In a way, the man you fought that day did die.”

“Not enough,” Steve grits out before charging at the Red Skull. But rather than his punch connecting, he phased through, stumbling a second before catching his balance. 

“As I said, Steven, in a way I did die that day. Any grudge I held against you is long gone, I assure you.”

Steve let out a bitter laugh. “That makes one of us.”

“As interesting as this has been, Steven, I’m afraid to inform you the stone has just been taken, by one of your compatriots, if I’m not mistaken.”

Right. The stone. Natasha. 

“I’m aware. I’m here to return it.”

This seemed to shock Red Skull. “Return it? Tell me, did you have a change of heart?”

“No. It’s served its purpose.”

“So quickly. Hmm… yes, I can sense you’re telling the truth. I also sense you want something in return.”

“I do. The woman who sacrificed herself for the stone. I’d like to offer a trade. The stone for her.”

Red Skull looked at him. “This woman means a lot to you.”

It took everything in Steve not to snap and scream _yes, she does_. He wouldn’t put it passed Red Skull to deny him because of how much he wants her back. 

“Do not fear, Steven. I am far beyond simple human emotions such as pettiness and spite. However,” he paused, and Steve was sure, as much as Red Skull claimed to be passed such _simple_ emotions, he was taking great pleasure in dragging this out. “I do not know if the stone will take your trade. You see, I do not control what the stone will and will not accept as a sacrifice. I am just a guardian, nothing more.”

Steve took a deep breath. Bucky would be proud of him, he was attempting to use his words and not his fists. “Then, tell me, what do I need to do?”

Red Skull gestured to the edge of the cliff. “Toss the stone over. If it accepts your offering, and if your feelings for this woman are as pure and strong as you claim them to be, you will be granted your wish.”

“And how do I know you won’t push me over as well?”

Red Skull laughed, actually _laughed_. “As I said Steven, son of Sarah, that has long passed for me. I swear on my duty as the guardian of the Soul Stone, no harm shall come to you.”

Steve didn’t buy that for a second, but the need to try to get Natasha back outweighed his distrust for the Red Skull. He slowly approached the cliff, taking the stone in hand. 

_Please. I want her back. I_ need _her back. We all do._

Hoping, _praying_ , that would be enough, he tossed the stone over. For a second nothing happened, and dread settled into his stomach. But, then, there was a flash of white, and darkness followed.

—

One second, he’d been standing on the edge of the cliff, the next he was laying in a shallow lake, looking up at the evening skies of Vormir. He sat up, wondering if Red Skull wasn’t as beyond pushing him over after all, when he heard a small splash and a soft groan to his right.

He looked over to see Natasha, looking exactly like she had when he’d last seen her on that platform.

“Natasha, you okay?”

She sat up, looking dazed. “Steve? Wha- how? Where’s Clint? Did we get the stone?”

Words failed him, and he just tackled her in a giant hug, splashing them both back in the water.

“Whoa, Steve, what’s wrong? Who died?” She asked as she wrapped her arms around him.

He pulled back. “You did, Nat. You died.”

She looked confused. “But… I’m not dead. I’m right here. And you still didn’t answer my question, where’s Clint?”

“Back at home with his wife and kids,” he said, knowing that would tell her everything she needed to know.

“Oh my god, it actually worked.”

“It did. Everyone is back, Thanos is dead, again. But…”

“But what, Steve?”

He pulled back. “You didn’t come back. Bruce… he said he tried, but it didn’t work. Why would you _do that_?”

“You would have done the same thing. Don’t try to tell me you wouldn’t. Clint… he has his wife, his kids. I have—”

“Me, Nat. You have me. And Bucky. Telling him you’d,” Steve swallowed, not wanting to say it, too painful to even think about. Instead, he put all his emotions, all the grief and anger and joy, and kissed her. It had only been a few weeks, but he’d missed her so much. She took and gave in equal measure, taking his grief and giving it back in return. They’d both been hurt, these last five years. Had drifted apart and come back together, but now, hopefully the future was before them, and they’d get to spend together, the three of them.

“I know why you did it, and I understand, but… it still hurt. And I had to try,” he said as they parted, laying his hand on her cheek, to reassure himself that she really was here, alive.

“Just tell me getting me back didn’t undo anything.”

“It shouldn’t have. We’ve already used to stone. Though, I think I’m the first one to actually _return_ it after. It’s probably why it was willing to give you back.”

She collapsed against him, holding him tight. “God, that is one hell of a borrowing system. 

“No kidding,” Steve said with a laugh. “Come on, let’s go home.”

He stood and offered and hand to help her up, which she took with a smile. “Home. Sounds nice.”

—

The sunlight of Earth was almost blinding after the twilight of Vormir. Before his vision could totally settle, he heard gasps from the people waiting for him.

“Oh my god, Nat,” Bucky gasped as he ran up on the platform, taking her in his arms just as Steve had done when he’d first saw her.

“Steve, what did you do?” Bruce asked, looking extremely confused. “Please tell me you didn’t mess with the timelines.”

Steve shook his head. “I just… gave the stone back.”

Sam was shaking his head as he walked up on the platform with the others. “I swear, I don’t know how you keep pulling off these miracle resurrections, but I gotta say it’s a useful skill.”

Steve shrugged. “I dunno, I think this might have been the last one. Or, I hope.”

“It better be, Rogers,” Bucky said as he came up to hug him. “I thought… you were late and I thought, for a second….”

“What?”

“That you stayed. That you didn’t want to come back.”

“What, and leave you alone here? Buck, no. I would _never_ leave you like that.”

Bucky just ducked his head, letting his hair hide his face. “I know. I know you wouldn’t.”

Steve cupped his cheek and pulled him in for a quick, gentle kiss. “I think we’re going to have a conversation later, but for now, I say we celebrate all we’ve gotten back.”

Natasha, looking slightly winded from a hug from Bruce, stepped between the two of them, linking her arms with theirs, placing a kiss on each of their cheeks. “Now, that sound like a solid plan, Rogers.”


End file.
